Surgery of hepatic cysts in a cat.

A 2-year-old female Japanese domestic cat weighing 3.6 kg was presented due to marked abdominal distention and was diagnosed as hepatic cyst. The bile acid concentration of the hepatic cyst was as low as the serum bile acid concentration. The membrane of the cysts was excised from the edge of the compressed hepatic tissue and no other surgical manipulation was performed. This surgical procedure is simple and quick compared to hepatic lobectomy, however, it is necessary to evaluate the fluid of the cyst before performing this procedure.     

Ecological land evaluation for nature redevelopment in river areas

Landscape enhancement projects are under way at the Yamanakadani and Kadowaki rivers, which run through the campus of Hiroshima University, Japan. At both sites, the ecological value of land was determined from two aspects: (1) value as vegetation and (2) value to birds. To evaluate the vegetation, we selected conservation sites and suitable sites for enhancement considering rarity and recovery potential of vegetation, and access to users and construction equipment. We determined that the area of forest, the number of forest vertical layers, and forest pattern help sustain avian diversity and contribute toward the area functioning as an avian corridor.     

Discrimination of “grazing milk” using milk fatty acid profile in the grassland dairy area in Hokkaido

Milk produced by the grazing system, referred to as “grazing milk” contains many components required for human health. The milk fatty acid (FA) profile is strongly associated with the diet on the farms. In the present study, based on the FA profile of farmer's bulk milk, we determined how to discriminate between milk produced on grazing and on a confinement system. A field survey was conducted four times (grazing and confinement season) in the Konsen (29 farms) and Okhotsk (25 farms) area in Hokkaido. Farmer's bulk milk samples and details of feeding management were collected and the FA profile of milk was measured. Milk produced during the grazing season contained less C16:0 and cis‐9 C16:0, and more C18:0, cis‐9 C18:1, trans‐11 C18:1, cis‐9,12 C18:2, cis‐9,trans‐11 C18:2 and cis‐9,12,15 C18:3 than milk produced during the confinement season. Discrimination analysis using 16 FA revealed that almost all milk samples were discriminated correctly (confinement season: 90% correct and 10% borderline, grazing season: 88% correct, 9% borderline and 3% incorrect). For farmers that were categorized incorrectly and were considered borderline in the grazing season, the dependency on pasture was low compared with that for farmers correctly discriminated. Therefore, to claim “grazing milk”, a high dependency on pasture is required for grazing dairy farmers.     

Relationship of rumen fill and fermentation to diurnal and seasonal variation of herbage intake in dairy cows grazed on perennial ryegrass pasture

To clarify the effect of digesta weight in the reticulorumen on diurnal and seasonal fluctuations in herbage intake, six ruminally cannulated, non‐lactating dairy cows were grazed on perennial ryegrass/white clover pasture during morning and evening sessions in spring and autumn. The digesta weight of fresh matter, dry matter (DM) and fiber in the reticulorumen at the beginning and the end of each grazing session was lower in spring than in autumn (P < 0.01). Although the digesta weight was similar between the sessions at the beginning of grazing, it was greater for the evening than for the morning at the end of grazing (P < 0.01). The large particles proportion in the digesta was lower for the morning than the evening (P < 0.01), and it was lower in spring than in autumn (P < 0.01). The concentrations of volatile fatty acids in rumen fluid were generally higher in spring compared with autumn. The herbage DM intake during the evening was greater compared with the morning in both seasons (P < 0.01). However, there was no difference in herbage DM intake between seasons. The results showed that the rumen digesta fill was not the sole factor explaining diurnal and seasonal variation of herbage intake in grazing dairy cows.     

Herbage intake and ruminal digestion of dairy cows grazed on perennial ryegrass pasture either in the morning or evening

This study aimed to clarify diurnal fluctuations of herbage intake, ruminal fermentation of herbage carbohydrates and proteins, and digesta particulate weight in the rumen of grazing dairy cows. Six ruminally cannulated, non‐lactating dairy cows were grazed on perennial ryegrass/white clover pasture either in the morning (04.00 to 08.00 hours) or the evening (16.00 to 20.00 hours). Cows grazed in the evening spent more time (P < 0.01) and consumed more herbage (P < 0.01) compared with cows grazed in the morning. Higher (P < 0.05) daily mean concentrations of total volatile fatty acid, propionate and n‐butyrate in rumen fluid were observed for cows grazed in the evening compared with cows grazed in the morning. Although cows grazed in the evening ingested more crude protein compared with cows grazed in the morning, no significant difference in NH₃‐N concentration in rumen fluid was observed between them. The ratio of purine‐derivative concentration to creatinine concentrations was higher (P < 0.01) in the urine of cows grazed in the evening than in cows grazed in the morning. These results clearly indicated that evening grazing was advantageous for dairy cows compared with morning grazing, in terms of ruminal fermentable energy intake and nitrogen utilization efficiency.     

Clinical pharmacokinetics of oseltamivir and its active metabolite oseltamivir carboxylate after oral administration in horses

The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics of oseltamivir carboxylate (OC) in horses (n=6) after oral administration of its prodrug oseltamivir. The binding rate of OC to horse plasma proteins was negligible (<1%). Oral administration of oseltamivir of 2 mg/kg body weight of oseltamivir to horses provided a plasma concentration of OC (mean maximum concentration: 257.9 ng/ml) above the inhibitory concentrations against equine influenza A viruses determined in vitro. However, because OC is rapidly eliminated from horse plasma (mean elimination half-life: 2.5 hr), administration intervals should be less than 10 hr to retain a suitable concentration when using a single dose of 2 mg/kg oseltamivir.     

Isolation and measurement of carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes in erythrocytes of dogs

OBJECTIVE: To purify canine carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoenzymes CA-I and CA-II and to determine concentrations of CA-I and CA-II in erythrocytes of Beagles and dogs native to Japan. SAMPLE POPULATION: Blood samples from 116 Beagles, including 24 pregnant Beagles, and blood samples from 29 dogs native to Japan. PROCEDURE: Canine CA-I and CA-II were purified by use of column chromatography. Concentrations of CA-I and CA-II in erythrocytes of dogs were determined, using an ELISA. RESULTS: Mean (+/- SD) concentrations of CA-I and CA-II in erythrocytes of Beagles were 3.21+/-0.86 and 1.63+/-0.39 mg/g of Hb, respectively. Mean concentration of CA-I was greater in male Beagles than female Beagles. In contrast, mean concentration of CA-II was greater in female Beagles than male Beagles. Furthermore, concentration of CA-II was greater in pregnant female Beagles than male or nonpregnant female Beagles. Mean concentrations of CA-I and CA-II in erythrocytes of dogs native to Japan were 11.03+/-4.39 and 3.29+/-0.91 mg/g of Hb, respectively. Mean concentration of CA-I was greater in male dogs from Japan than female dogs from Japan. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The ELISA used in this study proved to be precise and sensitive for determining CA-I and CA-II concentrations in dogs. The ELISA may enable study of changes in isoenzymes associated with hereditary or metabolic disorders of blood or other body fluids, using only a small sample. Measurement of the concentrations of CA isoenzymes in dogs may be of diagnostic value.     

Immunohistochemical study of Pneumocystis carinii infection in pigs: evaluation of Pneumocystis pneumonia and a retrospective investigation

Infection with Pneumocystis carinii was demonstrated immunohistochemically in the lungs of pigs 15 to 75 days of age from a herd with epidemic pneumonia due to the organism. The distribution of the organism was centered on the airways, and extended progressively with age from the alveolar ducts to the alveoli. In a retrospective immunohistochemical study of 245 newborn to adult pigs which were necropsied between 1988 and 1995, P carinii infection was found in 87 pigs (35.5 per cent) aged between 17 days to seven months. In the pigs aged between one and three months the infection rate was 63.1 per cent. Pigs from herds in which suckler and weaner pigs shared the same air space were more heavily infected than those from the herds in which they were reared separately. There were no regional or seasonal variations in the level of infection, and the infection was not associated with any single disease.     

Isolation of Neospora caninum from the brain of a naturally infected adult dairy cow

Neospora caninum was isolated from the brain of a 2-year-old dairy cow that had aborted confirmed N. caninum-infected fetuses on two occasions. The cow had an indirect fluorescent antibody titer of 1:1600 to N. caninum. The cow was killed 24 days after its second abortion and the brain was bioassayed for N. caninum in nude mice. Multifocal areas of perivascular cuffing and glial nodules were observed in the cerebrum and mesencephalon of the cow, but N. caninum was not identified in histological sections of the brain. All three nude mice inoculated with brain homogenate of the cow, developed emaciation and paralysis. Microscopical examination of the nude mice revealed systemic N. caninum infection with demonstrable tachyzoites in various organs. The parasites isolated from fresh mouse brain were transferred successfully into Vero cell cultures. PCR procedure on the purified tachyzoites obtained from the Vero cell cultures amplified the specific DNA sequence for N. caninum.